Tension in Ferozepur after alleged sacrilege

Tension gripped this border town of Punjab today after some unidentified miscreants allegedly tore off a few pages of a holy book in a village here, the second such incident witnessed in the state in the recent times.
The pages of the book were torn in Naju Shah Mishri village on Ferozepur-Zira road at around 3.30 pm, police said.
As soon as the news spread, a large number of people from surrounding villages gathered at the spot, police said.
Some Sikh radicals, in a fit of rage, allegedly manhandled SGPC member Darshan Singh Sherkhan who had arrived on the scene and damaged his SUV.

Senior civil and police officers immediately rushed to the spot with heavy police contingent. Several rounds of interaction were held with the people who had gathered in large numbers and eventually the situation was brought under control.
The situation still remains "tense", police said.

When contacted, D P S Kharbanda, Ferozepur DC, said the administration has appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony, as it seems to be handiwork of some miscreants who apparently want to foment trouble.
Meanwhile, the Sikh protestors under leadership of Baba Dilbag Singh continued to block the Ferozepur-Amritsar highway near Harike headworks due to which traffic on this busy road has been disrupted for the last 48 hours.

Protests were also witnessed in Village Ferozshshah, Main Chowk in Zira, Village Sandhe Hasham and Village Khosa Dal Singh on Ferozepur-Zira road.
SSP said that the situation was peaceful and under control in Ferozepur.
This is the second such incident witnessed in the state, the earlier one being in a village in Faridkot district.